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The Education Trust has named New Mexico State University as one of its top 25 gainers and gap closers in black student graduation rates among public institutions according to a report released last week.

The study examined black students' overall six-year graduation rates reported in 2004 and 2010. New Mexico State University ranked number seven in the list of public institutions that have effectively increased graduation rates for black students. Six-year graduation rates of black students at NMSU reported in 2004 came in at 20 percent, but the rate in 2010 had risen to 39.1 percent (based on IPEDS adjusted rates).

The Education Trust study also examined the top 25 institutions that have closed the six-year graduation rate gap between black and white students. NMSU is near the top of the list at number three. In 2004, NMSU's white student graduation rate was 48.1 percent, whereas for black students the rate was 20 percent. The numbers improved significantly in 2010, with a white student rate of 49.8 percent and black student rate at 39.1 percent.

NMSU's upward trend in black student graduation rates is contrary to an overall nationwide decline in black student graduation rates from 41.2 percent graduating in six years reported for 2004, down to 40.6 percent reported in 2010.

Black students comprised 3.3 percent of NMSU's Las Cruces campus undergraduate population of 13,321 full-time students in fall 2009, as reported in the Education Trust's report.